"We chose the CompassCom solution for its flexibility," said Jim Gilbert, Maintenance Services Manager for the City of Thornton. "We deal with many different pieces of equipment, and our AVL has to be flexible to track them all. The ability to have one solution for our entire fleet versus separate AVL systems by department was key to our decision process."

CompassLDE is a universal mobile resource management server that receives wireless GPS-based location and status information from vehicles in multiple fleets over different communications networks simultaneously.

Compatible with CompassTrac and ESRI-based GIS software, CompassLDE serves location-based data in real time via the Internet or intranet for display on computer-aided dispatch, mobile data terminals or third party software.

Thornton purchased the CompassCom solution to monitor the locations and statuses of vehicles in its Infrastructure, Community Services, City Development, and Emergency Services Departments.

The CompassTrac client software running on City computers allows personnel in each department to view the locations of their specific fleet on a map display that utilizes the City's ESRI integrated GIS. Dispatchers in the Thornton E911 and Fleet Operations Centers can track and view all city vehicles simultaneously, if needed.

"CompassCom Software developed our solution with flexibility in mind so that it can be customized to meet the needs of individual clients," said CompassCom Software CEO W. Brant Howard. "The Compass Suite of software is ready to integrate into any existing GIS-based map or computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system to provide fleet managers with the information they need to make decisions."

The Thornton vehicle fleets included in the mobile resource management implementation are snowplows, fire engines, ambulances, and a variety of service trucks. A major selling point of CompassLDE is its universal compatibility with third-party vehicle equipment, such as snowplow material spreaders and emergency vehicle sirens.

CompassLDE is hosted by the City and integrates with these devices and automatically transmits their status back to dispatchers. This is especially important with the snowplows because it enables the city to know precisely where de-icing materials have been applied by the spreaders.

In addition to tracking city-owned vehicles, Thornton is running the CompassTrac client software to monitor portable GPS units that are supplied to contract snowplow operators during major winter storms so they can be managed along with the city's vehicles.

CompassCom Software developed a custom application based on ArcGIS Server that generates an Internet-accessible map display showing current road conditions of major arterial streets and clearing activity of residential streets during a major snow event. This map can be viewed by the general public during a storm.

"The willingness of CompassCom Software to develop the solution according to the city's requirements has made the implementation a positive experience for us," said Thornton's Gilbert.

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